Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-01
THE sCHOOL-BOOK BILL.

advanced in the Assembly. Let that body
concern itself actively to secure its speedy
passage, and if defeat overtakes it, let not
the responsibility for that calamity fall
upon the Republican party. In the Sen
ate with Democratic majority, party
pledged by its platforms to promote the
State school-book system, the bill has come
from the committee with majority and
minority report upon it. There i, no GER
tainty of its passage. At this late hour in
the session single objection may defeat
the wise and much-needed measure. 1t is
to be hoped that the Senate will rise supe-
rior to trivialities and personal opinions
concerning ifs" and "ands," and pass
the bill out of hand. 1t can do so with
credit, but fail with disgrace.
If the enemies of the new textbook sys-
tem-and they have by no means relaxed
their eforts-desire to defeat the plans the
people have adopted to rid themselves of
the incubus that has so long ridden upon
the shoulders of the people of the State,
and wrung from the parents and guardians
enormous profits upon school-books, for
carriage to the Golfers of Eastern publish
ers, they cannot ask for more efficient aid
than failure to pass distribution bill.
The people, by an overwhelming and
unprecedented vote, wrote into the organic
law that textbooks, printed by the State,
should be furnished for children of the
common schools of the State at bare cost
upon the Legislature they imposed the not
difficult task Of providing the necessary
machinery for the production of the books.
This was done, and all has gone smoothly |
until the assembling of the present Legis-
Iature. Now at the flag end of the session. |
with most of the books ready for delivery,
and the members contending for the adj
vancement and consideration of measures. |
not one in ten of which can possibly be-
come law, or by remotest chance be fully
considered, the important measure referred |
to is lut in reril by the delay to bring it
on for consideration.
If it is said that the Supervisors or
Boards of Education should provide for
the distribution of the books in each |
county, it is to be replied that such trust
will simply place the whole system at the
mercy of local governments. Under the
al s,,4ar, +I,o,, o.,,IJ hove .o...l - /
money to the people by purchasing of
!jobbers, but that they refused to do so
proves that it is an unsatisfactory and |
doubtful plan to leave these matters to
local boards. So left, it may happen that,
influenced by the book rings, or under |
stupid misrepresentation of duty, they will,
in many cases, fail to provide means for the
carriage of the books. Moreover, the duty !
Of establishing a system of distribution is
that of the Legislature and it cannot ex-
cuse avoidance of it.
The bill referred to proposes to make the
distribution uniform and economic, and
secure the introduction OF the books with
certainty and speed, as contemplated by
the Constitution and the laws. This, un-
der the Act, is to be accomplished without
ultimate cost to the State How, then,
can there be any rational objection to the
bill?
Let Legislators remember that this school
book question is one with which the peo-
pie much concern themselves. They are
practically unit upon it; they will not
brook any defeat of their will in this mat
ter, Having in their sovereign capacity,
resolved to print the books TO be used in
the common schools, it is the duty of the
Legislature to erect all needed statutes to
make that will effective. Without pro-
vision for distribution among the counties,
and some arrangement for availing of the
convenience the retail book trade offers,
so that retailers may keep the books in
stock for the accommodation of the people,
the system will be hindered and made
offensive Such an outcome would lie de
plorable. Let Legislators rise superior to
objections and bubbles and doubts, and
pass the BILL
Treating of this subject the San Fran
cisco -4lta yesterday well said, that as pub
lie education is the first interest of the
State, legislators are unwise "who neglect
that shall advance it and keep
it VITAL Referring next, to the fact of
the adoption Of the constitutional amend
ment, it adds:
A Quarter of million has been spent in the
printing plant that shall publish the books.
Now. lei us have faithful administration of the
experiment. Let no officers pTejudices stand
in Inc way Those who admit the wrong done
nv frequent change and extortionate price OF
under the old system, and at the
tis.e deny the prcpricty of reforming il by this
method which the people have provided, have
no right to autas.'Iiize it by other plans. which
might have been useful II put ia operation be
f.re the sield WAS occupied by tae amendment
TO the Constitution. One thi2S Is certain, no